1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a plasma display device, and more particularly, to a plasma display panel (PDP) of a plasma display device in which the panel includes a back cover providing a heat discharge function to reduce an internal temperature of the display device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Plasma display devices employing PDPs are emerging as one of the most popular flat panel display configurations used for wall-mounted televisions and other similar large-screen display applications. Predetermined images are displayed on the PDP using a discharge mechanism of discharge cells.
A plasma display device is structured by interposing a PDP and a chassis base between a front cabinet and a back cover, with the front cabinet and back cover being integrally formed to define an exterior of the plasma display device. The PDP is positioned adjacent to the front cabinet while the chassis base is positioned adjacent to the back cover. Also, a plurality of driving circuit boards are mounted to the chassis base.
Much research is being performed to improve all aspects of the plasma display device, that is, to achieve better brightness and contrast, minimize noise, realize a slimmer profile, and reduce weight. As a way to obtain a slimmer profile, the spaces between the PDP, chassis base, and back cover are reduced to realize an overall plasma display device depth of roughly 60 mm.
However, such a reduction in the spaces between the elements of the plasma display device causes the PDP and driving circuit boards to retain more of the heat that they generate. If this heat is unable to be sufficiently expelled from the plasma display device, the circuitry may malfunction. This is because circuit elements used to drive the PDP experience a drop in performance and reliability at temperatures at or above 65° C. It is therefore necessary to maintain temperatures within the device at suitable, relatively low levels.
The most common way heat is discharged from the plasma display device is to form a plurality of vent openings in the back cover through which the heat in the plasma display device escapes. However, since in addition to the heat in the device, EMI (electromagnetic interference), audio noise and electromagnetic noise generated by the driving circuit boards exit the display device through the vent openings, it is preferable that no more than a specific, limited number of vent openings be formed in the back cover. A consequence of this limitation is that the effectiveness of the vent openings and thus the ability to dissipate heat is also restricted.
Heat discharge mechanisms are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,990,618 to Morita et al. and in U.S. patent application Publication No. 2002/0043916 A1 to Juen. The heat discharge mechanisms disclosed in these publications are related to ways of expelling the heat generated by the PDPs in plasma display devices. However, because of the mounting of the heat discharge mechanisms of these patents between the rear of the PDP and the back cover, the internal structure of the plasma display device becomes complicated and efforts at making the device slimmer are hindered.
In addition, because the heat discharge mechanisms of the above publications use only heat conduction or convection current properties to perform their operation, there are limits to their ability to discharge heat. Also, the heat expelled by the heat discharge mechanisms in these publications is not directed to outside the back cover but instead remains within the display device. The ability to reduce internal temperatures of the display device of the two publications is therefore severely limited as a result.